The mayor of Wildwood took great pride as he watched a native of the city help cut the ribbon Thursday on the new Ocala Health ER facility at Trailwinds Village.
Mayor Ed Wolf remembers delivering newspapers to the home of the grandparents of Jillian Nichols Richardson. Wolf, a retired school teacher, taught Jillian, her husband and her mother, during his many years in the classroom. The mayor was obviously proud when he told that story at the ribbon-cutting event at the new facility on County Road 466A.
“I am happy and proud to see this facility located here in Wildwood,” the mayor said.
He said Trailwinds Village, also home to Lowe’s home improvement, an Aldi grocery store and ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, has made a “big difference” for the city.
The new, 24/7 full service freestanding emergency department will feature 11 emergency room beds and will be capable of caring for all ages.
The 11,630-square-foot, one-story facility fronts County Road 466A. The freestanding ER is expected to serve more than 11,500 patients a year. The $13 million project will employ approximately 30 full-time healthcare professionals.
The facility will begin seeing patients on Monday, Feb. 17.
This is Ocala Health’s third freestanding emergency department. Ocala Health opened its first freestanding emergency department in Summerfield in October 2016 and opened its second freestanding emergency department on Maricamp Road in Ocala in August 2019.
